Adjustable stay for caps



Sept. 22, 1942.. J. wAx ETAL ADJUSTABLE STAY FOR CAPS Filed Jan. 24, 1940 Eli/BERG frane/2522725. JAc

Patented Sept. Z2, 1942 ADJUSTABLE STAY FOR CAPS Jacob Wax and Morris Greenberg, Chicago, Ill.

Application `l'anuary 24, 1940, Serial No. 315,392

1 Claim.

This invention relates toca-ps such as are worn with uniforms. The primary object of the invention is toV provide an effective and novel device for maintaining the crown of the cap in proper position and for supporting an emblem on the front of the cap preferably atv or above the usual head-band.

A uniform cap isfgenerally provided with a ilat crown that is of greater circumference than the head-band so that the edge of the crown overlies or overhangs said head-band.V Theiront portion of this crown is normally disposed in an upwardly flared manner with respect to the head-band usually for the purpose of receiving, an emblem, badge, insignia, and the like that is mounted upon this flared portion.

The present structure contemplates a crown supporting device that is structurally of a rigid character, while at the same time it is capable of being readily adjusted in order to accommodate it to crowns of different dimensions. This device is of a separable construction which renders it capable of being readily removed from the cap to permit the latter being renovated, repaired or recovered whenever desired. Provision is made in this device to readily mount a variety of types of emblems that may have their mounting studs at diierent locations.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a device of the kind described that is novel in construction and is eiective and dependable in performing its functions. Other objects of this invention reside in providing a'stiffener that may be readily installed in a cap even after the latter has been fabricated, and the device is made of simple parts so that it may easily be manipulated, and also may be economically manufactured to sell for a reasonable retail price. Other objects and advantages of this invention will be obvious to persons skilled in the art after the construction and operation thereof is understood from the within description.

It is preferred to accomplish the numerous ob* jects and advantages of the invention in substantially the manner hereinafter fully described and as more particularly pointed out in the appended claims. Reference is made herein to the accompanying drawing that forms a part of this specication.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a vertical section through the front portion of a uniform cap showing this invention installed therein.

Figure 2 is a view in elevation of the crown sup- 55 porter and stiiener removed from the cap, and showing an adjusted position in dotted lines.

Figure 3 is a view looking at a side edge of the device with the parts in separated positions.

Figure 4 is a cross-section on line 4-4 in Figure 2'.

It will be understood the drawings are more or less schematic and are for the purpose of illustrating a preferred or typical embodiment of the invention. In these drawings the same reference characters are usedin all figures to identify like parts wherever these parts appear in the different views.

The cap which is herein shown comprises an annular head-band A made of a woven fabric that is reinforced by a similarly shaped stiffener band B (usually buckram or similar material) that is secured at least to the lower margin of the head band by stitching or otherwise, and there is the customary sweat-band C inside of and obscuring the stiiener band B. The crown of the cap is usually a woven fabric that may be the same material as that from which the uniform is made, or it may be a diierent material according to the requirements. The crown comprises a flat upper portion D that has peripheral dimensions that are greater than the head-band A so that the top of the crown overhangs the head band. At the front portion of the cap there is usually a visor or peak E and above the latter the crown is flared upwardly and forwardly in an inclined or oblique manner, as shown at F to provide for the emblem, badge, insignia and the like that is usually disposed above the head-band as shown.

The top of the crown is retained in proper shape and smooth by means of an extender device G that may be a wire or a strip of metal or other stiff material that is shaped into a ring so that when it is inserted into the crown it will spread the latter to its fullest diameter.

The device for supporting the front portion of the extender G is the adjustable and separable retainer structure shown in detail in Figures 2 and 3, and it will be seen this retainer assists in the maintaining of the emblem at the front of the cap and it also maintains the front portion F of the crown in its upwardly extended and preferably inclined position. As shown, this retainer is a two-part device, the respecive parts being each designated as a whole by the numerals 5 and 6, the former (5) being the supporting member that is anchored inside the sweat-band to the stiiener B, and the latter (6) being the extender carrying member and emblem holder that is removably and adjustably carried by said supporting member 5.

The supporting member 5 is a metal plate providing a at body 'I of preferably rectangular shape and of a height to permit it being interposed between the sweat-band C and the stiffener-band B where its lower portion is anchored by rivets 8 that pass through holes 9 in the lower portion of the plate 'I and outwardly through the stiffener andthe head-band A where the ends of said rivets are up-set. The ornamental or chin-strap H, which is placed in front of the head-band, obscures the ends of the rivet so that they may not be seen. The upper edge of the plate is given a reverse bend at I Il to provide a down-turned lip II that engages the top edge vof the stiiTener-band B and is adapted to be pinched or pressed together to firmly anchor the plate to said band. The vertical sides of the plate are reversely bent towards each other on the exposed face of the plate to provide guide anges I2, and the mid-portion of said plate is provided with a vertical row of apertures I3 (or indentations), the purpose of which will be later described herein. f

The adjustable and detachable member of the device comprises a metal plate I4 the lower portion' of which is narrower than the upper portion to provide a slightly elongated rectangular shaped tongue I5 that is of proper dimensions to be inserted in the U-shaped guides that are provided on the plate 'I by reason of the flanges I2 at the sides of the latter. The tongue has a plurality of indentations disposed in a longitudinal row that form embossments I6 on the opposite side of the plate arranged in proper spacing to engage in the row of apertures I3 (or indentations) in the supporting plate 'I whereby to maintain the movable member 6 of the device in -a variety of positions to which it may be readily moved in up and down directions, as suggested by the dotted lines in Figure 2. The upper portion of plate I4 is disposed oblique to the tongue portion by forming a bend or break I'I at about midway the height of said plate, and said upper portion,

designated by the numeral I8, if somewhat triangular or spread out fan-shape as seen in Figure 2. The said upper portion is formed concavo-convex in horizontal cross-section and when it is in position in the crown of the cap the convex face of said plate is disposed towards the upwardly and outwardly flared front portion F of the-crown. The top margin of the movable plate has a down-turned flange I9 that is preferably .pressed against and secures the adjacent The emblem, badge, insignia and the like 2| is usually a metal plate that is provided at its back with one or more studs 22 disposed laterally to the body of the emblem and are adapted to be inserted through eyelets ;f in the upwardly ared crown portion F in the manner shown in Figure 1. The free end of said stud or studs, is threaded and is entered through the plate I4 and a nut 23 is secured upon its end. A plurality of slots 24, of a variety of dimensions and shapes, are made in upper portion of the plate to permit use of emblems having several studs being readily mounted in the above described manner.

The wide upper portion I8 of the device when disposed inside the crown provides an elongated support for the flared front of said crown and maintains it in the desired position whether 'said ared front is provided with an emblem.

The ring G maybe readily distorted and partly slipped out of the cap and the adjustable member of the support then raised until the tongue I5 is removed from the guides on the anchored member 5 so that the major part of the support may be taken out of the cap. The lower edge of the wide upper of the support meets the edge of the tongue at an angle thereto and provides an abutment or stop 25 that electively limits `downward movement of the movable member by engagement with the top edge of the plate 1 where the latter is reversely bent to provide the marginal guides I2 for the tongue.

What is claimed is:

An adjustable stay for caps and the like, embodying two members one of which is adapted for movement relative to the other; one of said members embodying a supporting plate having vertical and transverse edges, a retainer lip bent aback 'from the upper transverse edge of said plate and adapted to clamp the margin of the headband of a cap, and parallel guide-flanges along opposite vertical portions of said plate; the other of said members embodying an elongated plate having a wide body portion and a depending narrow tongue, said tongue disposed between and movable longitudinally in the guide-flanges of the first-mentioned supporting plate; interlocking devices on said supporting plate and said second plate for maintaining said tongue in different positions on said supporting plate; a downturned clamping-flange normally urged against the upper portion or said second plate; and van annular distender element inserted under said down-turned clamping-ilange and positioned in the crown of a cap.

JACOB WAX.

MORRIS GREENBERG. 

